Recipe Background
Granny's Pot Roast combines nostalgia and tradition with a modern twist, perfect any day.
The first time I tried my hand at Granny's Pot Roast, it was a week after moving into my own place. The kitchen was still a chaotic mix of boxes and misplaced utensils, but I craved something reminiscent of home and tradition amid the mess. I remember unboxing my grandma's cast iron skillet, its weight familiar in my hands as I seared the beef, the sizzling aroma as comforting as a hug from Granny herself. The scent of thyme and bay leaves became the anchor, providing the perfect culinary backdrop to the mixture of excitement and nostalgia filling the room.
Later that afternoon, I invited friends over for a casual moving-in gathering. A splash of red wine slipped into the pot, mingling with the Worcestershire sauce, creating a rich, savory sauce that filled the apartment with warmth. As college friends arrived, we laughed and shared stories of our new adulthood adventures, the pot roast tenderly bubbling away in the slow cooker. Tender cremini mushrooms and halved baby potatoes nestled around the beef brought beautiful earthiness to each bite. The get-together became the first of many where the pot roast, full of flavors blooming from my childhood, became a beloved centerpiece.
Here's a small tip for the best outcome: make sure to brown the beef well on all sides to lock in the flavor, and allow it to rest for a few minutes when it's done cooking before serving. The moment came to whisk the cornstarch into the simmering cooking liquid to create a velvety gravy; it was pure magic. Garnishing the platter with chopped chives, a final nod to Granny’s ever-present garden, sealed the deal and made the dish an instant classic in my new home.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more, to taste
- 2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper plus more, to taste
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 (3-pound) beef chuck or rump roast
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 large onion peeled and quartered
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup red wine
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 large cloves garlic smashed and peeled
- 1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms halved
- 6 carrots peeled and halved
- 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes halved
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch optional
- 3 tablespoons water optional
- chives optional, to taste, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- In a small bowl, add 2 teaspoons of the salt, 2 teaspoons of the black pepper, and the garlic powder and whisk to combine.
- Rub the seasoning mixture over the beef on all sides.
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and heat until it is shimmering.
- Add the beef to the hot oil and sear it on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the beef to a slow cooker.
- Nestle the thyme, the onions, and the bay leaf around the beef in the slow cooker.
- Reduce the stovetop heat to medium.
- In the same skillet used to sear the beef, add the wine, the Worcestershire sauce, and the garlic cloves and cook, while scraping the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits, until just some of the wine is cooked off, about 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the stovetop heat.
- Add the mushrooms, the carrots, and the potatoes to the slow cooker, nestling them around the beef.
- Pour the wine mixture and the beef stock over the beef and the vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook until the beef is very tender, about 8-10 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
- Optionally, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add about 2 cups of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker and bring it to a boil.
- In a small bowl, add the cornstarch and the water and whisk to combine into a slurry.
- Add the slurry to the boiling cooking liquid and cook, while stirring, until it thickens into a gravy, about 1 minute.
- Transfer the gravy from the heat.
- Taste the beef and the gravy for seasoning and add the extra salt and the extra black pepper, as needed.
- Plate the beef with the vegetables and drizzle the gravy.
- Garnish with the chives and serve.
×